HHS Authorizes Release of Hospital Data to Promote Fair Competition

January 31, 2023

On December 20, 2022, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) made available to the public ownership data for Medicare-certified hospitals. HHS’s release of the ownership data is in response to President Joseph Biden’s Executive Order dated July 9, 2021, which directed agencies like HHS to consider using their authority to adopt policies that promote and protect conditions of fair competition. As such, HHS will list on the CMS website ownership information for 7,000 Medicare-participating hospitals. The data set will include enrollment information (organization name, type, location, NPI, and CMS Certification Number), owner information (including direct and indirect owners), and an ID link for each owner for consumers to identify common ownership. CMS expects to release updated hospital ownership data monthly. HHS believes the release of this information encourages transparency and affords the public the ability to make informed decisions regarding healthcare, which aligns with the goals of the Executive Order.